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Overview

The city of Petoskey was named after Ottawa Indian Chief Pet-O-Sega, meaning "Rays of the Rising Sun." Located on Lake Michigan’s Little Traverse Bay, Petoskey was granted a charter in 1879 and became a logging giant as well as a summer resort with trains and steamships unloading passengers for a welcome getaway. Today, Petoskey continues to draw folks with its natural treasures, historic sites and shopping meccas like the Gaslight District. Stroll along Petoskey's one-mile waterfront on Little Traverse Bay with its paved trail, covered gazebo and history museum. Check out the murals on some of the shops or dive down 35 feet in the bay to ...

The city of Petoskey was named after Ottawa Indian Chief Pet-O-Sega, meaning "Rays of the Rising Sun." Located on Lake Michigan’s Little Traverse Bay, Petoskey was granted a charter in 1879 and became a logging giant as well as a summer resort with trains and steamships unloading passengers for a welcome getaway. Today, Petoskey continues to draw folks with its natural treasures, historic sites and shopping meccas like the Gaslight District. Stroll along Petoskey's one-mile waterfront on Little Traverse Bay with its paved trail, covered gazebo and history museum. Check out the murals on some of the shops or dive down 35 feet in the bay to marvel at an 11-foot figure of Christ that serves as the Skin Divers' Shrine. With five state parks located in the area, there are recreation opportunities galore in any season. Petoskey also has a lovely stone named after it: Petoskey Stone, a coral that lived 350 million years ago when the northern part of Michigan was covered by a warm sea. The stone has a distinctive six-sided pattern and can be found in gravel pits, road beds and mainly on Lake Michigan shores around Petoskey. Spring is a good time to find the stones after the ice has melted along the shore. No matter what else you do, be sure to spend some time walking on the beach and watching waves crash ashore. Maybe you'll even find a Petoskey Stone to take home as a souvenir.

About the Expert

Jackie Sheckler Finch has written several guidebooks, including The Unofficial Guide to Campgrounds in the Great Lakes States, and four times she was named Travel Writer of the Year by Midwest Travel Writers Association.